Parachute



Aug. 23, 1938. y w. E; TINGLE PARACHUTE Filed NOV. 11, 1936 Patented Aug. 23, 1938 A UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFI-TCE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in parachutes, and its objects are as follow:

First, to provide a parachute which can be closed and reopened at will while the jumper is 5 in transit in the air.

Second, to provide a parachute which can be made to collapse quickly after the jumper has reached thel ground, thereby avoiding his being dragged, especially when the landing is made in a high wind.

Third, to provide an attachment for any known type of parachute, which works like a valve to produce the functions stated above.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved parachute.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the parachute showing how it can be closed while the jumper is in transit in the air.

Figure 3 is a detailed perspective view of the attachment.

The parachute of known construction is designated I. -It is immaterial what the type of this parachute may be, it being identified as being of a more or less conventional style in that the suspension cords 2 converge at a harness 3 in which the jumper 4 is strapped. The parachute I has the usual air-hole 5, through which a stream of air escapes (arrows a, Fig. 1) vWhile the jumper is intransit in the air.

The invention comprises a silk or other fabric ap 6 which is sewed at its outer circularmargin to the upper inside half ofthe parachute as close to the top as possible or needed, as indicated at I (Fig. 1). The preferred type of flap isthe circular form illustrated in Fig. 3. This flap acts as a valve as presently appears. It is made in substantial ring form, the center being open at 8.

The inner scalloped margin 9 of the ilap has a plurality of crests Ill which comprise places of attachment of as many silk or other cords Il 46 which ordinarily hang loose (Figs. 1 and 3) but are all ltied together in the center as at I2. It is from there that one strong silk or other cord I3 extends down to the jumpers harness (Fig. 1) hanging"dlrectly down the center of the para- 50 chute and the system of converging cords 2.

Another and necessary phase of the invention is the circular series of holes Il which is cut into the parachute I at a place adjacent to its crown, and in such locations with reference to the attached flap 6 (Fig. 1) that said holes will be covered by the ap by the upward air pressure. It

is not until the jumper pulls downward on the 5 cord I3 (Fig. 2) that the Il ap 6 is pulled away from the holes. This lets a large volume ol' air through the holes so that the parachute closes. It is in this manner that the flap acts as a valve.

.When the parachute is in full bloom, to use an expression common to aviators, it will function as any known parachute, the series of holes I4 being closed by the circular flap 6. As already indicated, the latter is secured to the parachute only around its outer margin, the inner margin being free. Now should the jumper desire to close the parachute, he has only to put his weight on the cord I3. The amount of closure of the parachute is controlled by the amount and di rection of pull on the cord because it is upon the latter that the extent of opening of the flap 6 depends.

. It is possible to guide the parachute indescending by pulling downwardly on the cord I3 but laterally in the direction in which it is desired to drift.

Large volumes of air escape through the holes I4 (arrows b, Fig. 2). 'I'his arrangement is of special advantage in landing. It is not an uncommon experience for a jumper to be dragged for considerable distances over the ground when landing ina. wind. This can be avoided by the use of the attachment by pulling on the cord I3 as soon as the landing is made, thereby causing the parachute to collapse. Thus, it is the main purpose of the invention to enable the opening and closing of a parachute anywhere in the air or on the ground when landing'.

I claim:

A parachute which includes suspension cords converging to a point of attachment to a harness, said parachute having a circular series of v holes near the crown, an unfettered imperforate E. Tirrena.` 

